The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-03-03
WASHINGTON LETTER
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. d. G.,
FEB. 26. 1887,

WASHINGTON. ~. u,
FEB, 26, 1887.
But five more working days re-
main to Congress, unless that body
decide to work on Sunday, as Con-
crosses have often done before
This Congress will probably how
ever work o'nights during the short
remaining term of its life, and this
way partially make up lost time
and neglected legislation. It has
been the custom of former Presi-
dents to spend the last few hours
of a congressional term at the
Capitol, in order to sign the bills
that Congress may hurry through
in its last moments. But Presi-
dent Cleveland it is said will not
sign bills until he has had time
for their critical examination
Congress has been unofficially adj
vised of this fact and it is quite
probable that some half cooked
measures may fail for lack of the
presidential signature.
Statesmen of both House and
Senate have been too busy during
the past week to give much atten-
ton TO the question about an eX-
ira session, but it is not improba-
BILE that one will be called. There
are pressing questions that cannot
well be put aside until the regular
meeting of the fftieth Congress.
Il is beginning to be very gener-
ally conceded that the Congress
ional session ending at noon on
the fourth of march, is all too short
for the interests of the country
It might have done for 1857, when
the entire country had a popula-
tion inferior to that of the state OF
New York and not one tithe4of its
wealth. But we have grown apace
in the last hundred years-growr
in almost every thing but the in.
dustry of Congressman. They still
-retain their stage coach habits ano
traditions. Something must b.
done to get out of this. This pro
longation of the session will be on
ly a partial remedy and, since
| day cannot be stretched over TWEEN
t ty-four hours, and since a Con
gressional daily session is onl.
: about five hours per day, inter
rupted by frequent adjournment
} endless roll calls, flibustering AM
5 long, drawing speeches, it can b
seen how all too little time is LET
For deliberate, intelligent aetionol
national questions. Here on tn
, very eve of the adjournment o
4 Congress important bills such a
f the Legislative, Naval, Sunday civ
ill, Deficiency, Fortiications, Mill
q tary Academy, Post Office, Distric
of Columbia, and Indian bills hav
1 not yet been placed before tn
President for his signature.
By a vote of 81 to Is the Senat
: decided that it would be wise t
/ detatch the Weather Bureau fror
the Army and place it under tn
Y proposed new Department Of Agrl
culture and Labor. The decision
Y was taken by adopting the prope
sition as an amendment to the bil
to raise the present Agriculture
t Department to the dignity of a
4 executive Department. After thi
had been done the bill was passe'
without resort to a roll call. Th
r measure having already passed tn
House will now go to a c%onferenc
committee of members of eacl
branch. 1t is not certain that tn
: conferrees will retain the amend
t ment, but it is generally believe
that the Weather Bureau will b
taken from the War Department
by some method, if not in the wa
] suggested by the Senate.
0 During the debate on the bill NJ
: Miller stated that there were man
/ and serious difficulties in the wa
of a transfer of the Weather BIZ
reau, because of the fact anon
e others. that those now engaged 1
that branch are enlisted men an
officers of the army, and all tn
supplies, instruments, and othe
material of the bureau I the pre-
: perty of the army. If the COME.
ence committee can prepare a
t amendment that will reduce thes
troublesome difficulties to a min
! mum, or wipe them out altogethe
u the proposition will probably r
G ceive a good many more votes tina
the 81 cast for it already. AS fc
o the special object of the bill, whic
:; is to make the commissioner
Agriculture a cabinet officer, th'
IS has now been agreed to by bot
d houses, and Congress will hard
let it be killed because of any fai
IS ure to agree about the transfer
= the Weather Bureau. Unless Il
; President sees fit to object to tt
. measure, he will have an oppo
1T tunity to add another to his pre-
fe ent list of advisers. juno.
Republican rule and extravaganza h
bankrupted the State Treasury. Foras
suggests a tax on farms to keep up the de
- ciency.-EGton Democrat.